739 replies to this topic

[RobH]

Quote

5 think it will be an open competition to decide either the mascots identity or name and then it will be given to the proffessionals to create the final version, its too important not to do it that way.

That's not a bad idea actually. That's quite a nice balance and a way of getting the public (and by that I mean mainly children) involved in the games.

As long as it doesn't turn out to be a imitation of Blue Peter's "name our new cat" competition, this could lead to some good PR for London 2012.

[daveypod-less]

Yeah no Blue Peter cat cometition, didnt they fix that anyway cause the kids picked the name pussy LOL

[RobH]

Not quite, hehe. They called it Socks, but the vote had Cookie as the favourite name.

[The Tower Bridge Fox]

The competition should be to find the design, the mascot has to be popular with people other than Lloyds bank .

The branding as it stands is some what lacking to put it politely
And a popular mascot will fill the gap

[RobH]

It wasn't so long ago that people on here were scathing of public competitions; accusing VANOC of being tight and not willing to pay for a professional design firm to come up with their logo. It's interesting that the tide has turned once again in favour of public contests.

It is interesting too that you assume a mascot designed in a public competition will automatically be popular. The winning entry is still likely to be chosen by a panel of experts, not the public. And the level of design in public competitions often falls short of what is required meaning the panel could be picking from a very average bunch indeed (what incentive would a pro design team have to design something for a lot less than they'd normally charge? The pride of their design being chosen for the London Games won't be enough for them to give up their time and money so many won't bother entering).

A public vote on the "form" and even the name of the mascot would be good but I'd rather leave the design itself to the pros if I'm honest.

[The Tower Bridge Fox]

Rob ♪, on Jun 14 2008, 02:17 PM, said:

I'd rather leave the design itself to the pros if I'm honest.

That logo is the most un professional looking design

Competitions throw out good ideas and the public could pick the winner.

[RobH]

But my point is you're much more likely to get a professional design if you go to the pros. You're not certain to get a more professional design (we'll agree to disagree re: the logo as you obviously don't think we've got one), but more likely than if the public are sending in their ideas.

And as I said, you can't expect professionals to send in designs on the basis of pride and a small winners' fee alone.

The only way I could see a public competition really working for the design is if the winner then allows a professional design firm to alter their design to make it more slick, fit the branding etc. etc. after it's been chosen. i.e. the public comes up with the idea, the pros polish it up.

Edited by Rob ♪, 14 June 2008 - 08:36 AM.

[baron-pierreIV]

Rob ♪, on Jun 14 2008, 02:35 PM, said:

But my point is you're much more likely to get a professional design if you go to the pros. You're not certain to get a more professional design (we'll agree to disagree re: the logo as you obviously don't think we've got one), but more likely than if the public are sending in their ideas.

And as I said, you can't expect professionals to send in designs on the basis of pride and a small winners' fee alone.

The only way I could see a public competition really working for the design is if the winner then allows a professional design firm to alter their design to make it more slick, fit the branding etc. etc. after it's been chosen. i.e. the public comes up with the idea, the pros polish it up.

Probably will. I also think it's the luck of the draw. VANOC pretty much limited their design competitions to those 'with experience.' They asked for your track record in your submission info. And obviously the quality of your submission would reflect that. However, they did get a dud with Ilanaaq; and pleasant surprises with Muk-Muk and company.

The US org committess in the past, unfortunately, I guess just in terms of sheer logistics, have seen fit NOT to open their design needs to public competition. Thus LA's "Star in Motion," Sam the Eagle, Atlanta's "100 years Torch," the inimitable Izzy, Salt Lake, etc., were all from handpicked design houses. Except for Izzy, which was ACOG Chairman Billy Payne's personal choice, all the other design elements of the last 3 Olympics held in the US have been quite professional. With the size of the U.S., it would at least get a good 2,000 entries for anything like a logo or the mascot. So just sorting thru that thing and where do you store such a large #, etc., etc., preclude such competitions.

[NY20??]

mattygs, on Jun 13 2008, 11:14 PM, said:

I am still not so sure that the entire London 2012 look and brand presented now is what we will see come 2012. Remember, Athens 2004 used, for some time, a kind of *look* that echoed the olive wreath logo. They used what was esentially a magnified version of the logo in alot of their publications, on their website, on their e cards and wallpapers on their website, and as the backdrop to their press conferences.
This of course changed a few years later to the panorama which we saw in 2004.
Perhaps this will be the same for London.

But, I think the difference here is that what London is using so far, is way more varied and thought out (colors, shapes, fonts, and in more types of usage) than Athens' use of their logo. They have an entire brand in place. Athens, it doesn’t seem like they did.

I do think it is safe to say that we'll be seeing new designs by 2012, but not a whole new graphical style to the brand.

[daveypod-less]

Using an emblem just blown up showing sections for background wallpaper is lazy design and has been done to death. London 2012 has a nice array of graphic elements that will makes the brand look varied but still sits together as a co-hesive scheme. I like the brand, I like the logo, but I still think that they need to show some better execusions, I dont see why the logo isnt animated on the website, its calling out for some movement. I still love this and want to see this kind of thing on the web.